Sustainable Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector is an engine for economic growth and an important contributor to the country’s economic competitiveness, particularly because growth in the manufacturing sector drives additional activity in other sectors. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, manufacturing research is focused not only on developing product, process and system technologies to reduce costs, increase revenue and promote economic growth but also on developing more sustainable technologies in these areas. Some examples of on-going research efforts include the development of advanced and more sustainable manufacturing processes (e.g.: machining, brazing, welding, etc.), developing predictive modeling tools for total lifecycle-based product designs to reduce material/energy consumption, developing tools and practices to improve performance at the manufacturing systems and supply chain levels. A number of automotive and aerospace manufacturers as well as their suppliers and many other manufacturing companies are located within a 100 mile radius from the university. With proximity to industry and through strong collaborations with the UK Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing (ISM), Institute for Research and Technology Development (IR4TD) and Power and Energy Institute of Kentucky (PEIK), our program is well positioned to advance manufacturing research in the Bluegrass and beyond.